Searchlight-ventilating means



June 24, 1930. R HOUSE 1,767,526

SEARCHLIGHT VENT I LAT I NG MEAN S File Sept- 1924 '2 She ets-Sheet 1 Q 54 Ff/ouse.

Filed p 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v avweufoz lnmrfflause.

Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FBANK B. HOUSE, OF BALDWIN HARBOR, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO SPERRY GYBOSCOBE COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK smncnLIeirr-vimrmume MEANS Application filed September 8, 1924. Serial No. 785,540.

This invention relates to searchlights and more particularly to a ventilation system for the same. The invention has for its principal object the provision of an effective sys- 5 term of ventilation which shall provide fresh,

cool, unused air in the desired places for carrying away a maximum quantity of heat without disturbing the arc.

Further this invention has for its object 10 the provision of what I term a parallel vent-ilation system, the term parallel being used in its electrical sense, i. e. a plurality of streams of fresh, cool, unused air are drawn upwardly through one ormore inlets in the drum and so guided that each stream comes into direct contact with the heated portion of areas which it is desired to cool, and said streams are then united to form a single outlet stream. It is to be understood that the term parallel is used in this sense throughout the specification and claims. Thus, for example, I may direct parallel streams of air .upwardly through the drum, one stream in contact with the front door or window to carry off the fumes which might otherwise deposit thereon, a second parallel stream for carrying off the heat generated at the arc and a third parallel stream of air for cooling the surfaces of the reflector.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for carrying oil the heat generated adjacent the arc, as described hereinbefore, in such manner that disturbance of the are by the upward flow of air will be prevented.

A further object of the invention is the provision of cooling means, as hereinbefore described, which shall be effective to cool also the control box and the various lamp controlling mechanisms therein..

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be in part obvious and in part specifically pointed out in the following detailed description of the invention.

In the accom anying drawings Fig. l is a rontvlew of a large searchlight, which, in the case shown, is the Sperry high intensity Searchlight.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, showing the general positioning of the air inlets.

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the eccentric mounting of the reflector toprovide an eccentric air opening whereby uniform distributionof air is obtained.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the lamp of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is a front view, partially sectioned vertically and with parts broken away, show- 1ng my invention applied to a smaller lamp,

which, in the case shown, is the 18" Sperry Searchlight. H

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the searchlight shown in Fig. '5.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown my invention applied to two different types of searchlights, Figs. 1 to 4 disclosing the invention applied to a Sperry 60" Searchlight, while Figs. 5 and 6 show the same principles :pplied to a smaller Searchlight, such as the 8"v type.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, there is shown a Searchlight drum 10 having horizontal trunnions 11 journale'd for oscillation in bearings 12 at the upper end of a bracket 13 mounted for rotation in azimuth on a base 14. Within the drum adjacent the rear wall thereof, there is mounted a reflector 15 in suitable clamps 16 on an inwardly extending flange or rim 17 on the drum. The ventilating passage 20, communicating with the drum at a plurality of points 21, 22, 23, terminates in a suction pump or fan 25 which may be driven by a motor 24. When the motor 24 is operating, air will be sucked out of the drum through apertures 21,22, 23 into the passage 20 and thence expelled.

The inlet passages whereby air enters the drum may comprise the large openings 26 (see Fig. 4) in the bottom of the drum and side openings 27, 28 at each side thereof.

The air inlets 26, 27 28 and the'outlets 21, 22,23 are so positioned as to cool definite portions of the lamp structure with a minimum disturbance of the arc. The air inlets 26 are covered by a baffle plate 30 so that the arc is not disturbed by the direct inrush of cool air and the' air is distributed over the bottom of the drum. After the air emerges from the baflie plate 30, it is separated and drawn upwardly toward the three openings 21, 22. 23

in three streams of air by the suction of ump 25. It will be noted that opening 21 is c osely adjacent the front window so that one stream of air will flow upwardly in a plane substanand other deposits which might otherwise obscure it. The second opening 22 is placed substantially over the are so that a second stream of air will flow upwardly in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the first stream of air and will carry off the heat generated in the immediate vicinity of the are. A third stream of air will be sucked upwardly through opening 23 to cool the reflector, the air first passing through an openig 32 formed between the reflector 15 and its supporting flange 17 The three streams of air are thus connected in parallel to the common inlet andcommon outlet.

In order that the upward rush of air shall not disturb the arc, additional openings 27,

28,- are provided in the drum at the sides thereof so that a substantial portion of the inflowing air shall pass through said side openings and thus reduce the amount of suction effective to draw air upwardly from the openings 26 and so prevent disturbance of the arc.

Since the suction upon the stream of air adapted to cool the reflector is greatest in the vicinity of opening 23, there would ordinarily be a tendency for the air to rush immediately toward the upper portion of opening 32 between the upper edge of reflector 15 and the upper portion of flange 17 To obviate this .condition, which would ordinarily result in cooling only the upper ortion of the reflector, I form the flange 1 eccentrically to provide a crescent shaped opening 32 larger at the bottom than adjacent the top, as shown in Fig. 3; in other words, the area of opening 32 increases the greater its distance from the outlet. In this manner the greater area of opening 32 adjacent the bottom. will compensate for the greater suction adjacent the top of the reflector so that a substantially uniform amount of cooling air will be drawn in at all points along the periphery of the reflector. It will be seen from Fig. 4 that the curvature of the rear wall 40 of the drum 10, upon which the reflector 15 is resiliently mounted, as shown at 41, is formed with a lesser degree of curvature than the reflector to provide a contracted opening 42 between the center of i the reflector and the rear wall 40. Said contracted portion 42 will'cause a more rapid flow of air to pass the center portion of the reflector than along the edges and will thus compensate for the tendency of the air to pass upwardly around the outer peripheral portion of the reflector in its effort to reach the outlet openin 23.

From the a ve description, it will be seen that I have accomplished the following objects, namely; I have provided for definite streams of air for cooling diiferent parts of the lamp; secondly, the streams are composed of fresh, cool, unused air; thirdly, means are provided for preventing the upward flow of '1 air from disturbing the arc; fourthly, means are provided for insuring cooling of the lower portion of the reflector to the same extent as the upper portion thereof; fifthly, means are provided for cooling the central portion of the reflector to substantially the-same extent as the peripheral portion thereof.

In the type of lamp described in Figs. 1 to 4, a, control box 45 combining the control mechanism is shown mounted upon the side of the drum.

Certain of the principles hereinbefore outlined are shown applied to a different form of searchlight in Figs. 5 and 6. In this form of Searchlight, the driving motor 24 and the suction pump 25 are shown mounted in, a hood 50 on the upper surfaces of the drum. Similarly, openings 26, 21, 22', 23, corresponding to the same numerals unprimed in Figs. 1' to 4 are provided and function in a similar manner.

The control box 45 is, in this instance, mounted directly above the opening 26 so that the controlling mechanism contained therin is cooled by the inflow of air through said opening. A crescent shaped opening 32 is again provided between the reflector 15' and the flange 17 for the same reasons set forth in connection with the Figs. 1 to 4 device. In this form of lamp, the side openings 27, 28 may, if desired, be omitted because the disturbing influence of the upward flow of air on the arc would not be so great in this type of lamp which, as shown, is a Sperry 18" lamp and may be a 12" or 24 lamp.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have herein described the principle and operation of my invention, to-

gether with the apparatus which I now conclaim and desire .to secureby Letters Patent v -1. In combination, a Searchlight comprising a drum, a front window, a reflector, said drum having air inlet means adjacentthe bottom and'a plurality of air outlets adjacent the top, suction means connected to said air outlets, said outlets being positioned adj acent saidfront window, above the arc, and adjacent the reflector respectively whereby a plurality of streams of unused air are caused to travel upwardly through said drum from said inlet means.

2. In combination, a Searchlight comprising a drum, a front window, a reflector, said drum having airinlet means adjacent the bottom and a plurality of air outlets adjacent the top, suction means connected to-said air outlets, said outlets being positioned adjacent said front window, above the arc, and adj ajacent the reflector respectively whereby a plurality of streams of unused air are caused to travel upwardly through saiddrum from said inlet means, said drum havin a plurality of air inlets at the sides thereo to prevent disturbance of 'the are by said upwardly traveling streams of air.

3. In a Searchlight com rising a drum having air inlet means a jacent the bottom thereof and an air outlet adjacent the top thereof, suction means for drawing air out of said outlet and causing a stream of air to travel upwardly through said drumv for carrying oif the heat generated by the arc,

said drum having a plurality of air inlets at the sides thereof for preventing disturbance of the arc b said stream of air.

4. In a searc ight, a drum, a reflector mounted in said drum in spaced relation to the back thereof, and means for cooling said reflector comprising a peripheral air inlet surrounding the edge 0 said reflector, said drum having an air outlet adjacent the top thereof at the rear of the reflector, and suction means connected to said outlet whereby an unused stream of air is caused to travel upwardly over the rear surface ofsaid reflector.

5. In a searchlight, a drum, a'reflector mounted in said drum in spaced relation to the back thereof, and means for cooling saidreflector comprising a peripheral air inlet surrounding the edge 0 said reflector, said drum having an air outlet adjacent the top thereof at the rear of the reflector, and suction means connected to said outlet whereby an unused stream of air is caused to travel upwardly over the rear surface ofsaid reflector, said air inlet being formed to increase in size in proportion to its distance from said outlet.

inlet surroundin said reflector, said drum having an air on et adjacent the top thereof, suction means connected to said outlet whereby an unused stream of air is caused to travel upwardly over the surface of said reflector, and means for compensating for the tendency of the air to pass upwardly mainly adjacent the periphery of said reflector.

8. In a searchlight, a drum, a reflector mounted in said drum, and means for cooling said reflector comprising a peripheral air inlet surrounding said reflector, said drum having an air outlet adjacent the top thereof, suction means connected to said outlet whereby an unused stream of air is caused to travel upwardly over the surface of said reflector, and means for compensating for the tendency of the air to pass upwardly mainly adjacent the periphery of said reflector, said means consisting in forming a passage between said reflector and said drum, said passage being graduall reduced in area toward the center of the re ector.

9. In a Searchlight, a drum, a reflector mounted in said drum, and means for cooling said reflector comprising aperipheral air inlet surrounding said" reflector, said drum having an air outlet adjacent the to thereof, suction means connectedto' said out et whereby an unused stream of air is caused to travel upwardly over the surface of said reflector means for compensatin for the tendency of the air to enter mainly t at portion of the inlet in the vicinity of the air outlet, and means for compensating for the tendency of the air to pass upwardly mainly adjacent theperipher of said reflector.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

. FRANK R. HOUSE.

'6. In a Searchlight, a drum, a reflector mounted in said drum, and means for cooling said reflector comprising a peripheral air inlet surrounding sald reflector, said drum having an air outlet adjacent the to thereof,

suction'means connected to said ou et where-- by an unused stream of air is causedto travel upwardly over the surface and means for compensatin for thetendenc'y of the air to enter mainly t at portion of theinlet in the vicinity of the air outlet.

7. In a -s'earchlight,'- a drum, a reflector mounted in said drum, and means for cooling said reflector comprising a peripheral air of saidreflector, 

